Feb. 19, 2003
Wayne “Buddy” Geis, formerly an assistant coach with the Dallas Cowboys, has joined the Georgia Tech football staff as passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach as part of a restructured offensive staff announced by Tech head coach Chan Gailey Wednesday.
Patrick Nix will serve as running game coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Tommie Robinson takes over as tight ends coach after working with wide receivers last year, and Curtis Modkins moves from defensive backs coach to running backs coach. Defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta will also coach the defensive backs.
In his second season as head coach, Gailey will assume a more hands-on role in developing the game plan and calling the plays.
“We did not have it in mind to make as many moves as we have made in the offseason, but people leaving and hiring new people allowed us to restructure a lot of our offensive staff and defensive staff,” said Gailey.
“I felt like I needed to more involved this year,” he continued. “I still don’t believe that you can do all of the offensive coordinator’s job and all of the head coach’s job, so I wanted to be able to split the duties on the staff. If I’m going to be calling a majority of the plays, I didn’t want the tag of offensive coordinator just to be stuck on one guy and yet he’s not calling the plays. That’s why we divided the job up so that they [Geis and Nix] can do a lot of the paperwork and practice planning that goes with being a coordinator.”
Geis spent three seasons with the Cowboys, coaching the Dallas quarterbacks in 1998-99 under Gailey and then directing the offensive nickel package under Dave Campo in 2000. During his stint as quarterbacks coach, the Cowboy signal callers threw only 21 interceptions in two seasons, the lowest total in the NFL during that span. In 1998, the quarterback trio of Troy Aikman, who missed five games due to injury, Jason Garrett and Mike Quinn totalled just eight interceptions, fewest in the league. The following year, Aikman and his backups were second in the NFL with just 13 interceptions, and Aikman passed for 2,964 yards despite missing two games.
“Buddy Geis is a guy that I have worked with before and will be a great addition to our staff,” said Gailey. “He’s been in great programs and big ballgames, so he will add a wealth of experience and knowledge to our staff.”
Before going to Dallas, Geis spent two years (1996-97) as offensive assistant and assistant quarterbacks coach with the Indianapolis Colts, where he worked with Colts’ quarterback Jim Harbaugh, who recorded the second-best quarterback rating of his career under Geis in 1997.
Geis broke into the NFL as receivers coach for the Green Bay Packers from 1988-91 under Lindy Infante. While with the Packers, Geis tutored all-pro receiver Sterling Sharpe, who led the NFL with 90 receptions in just his second season (1989) in the league. Under Geis’ tutelage, Sharpe totaled 281 receptions for 4,280 yards and 23 touchdowns in four seasons.
Geis also coached in the Canadian Football League, serving as offensive coordinator for the Memphis Mad Dogs in 1995 on the staff of former Tech head coach Pepper Rodgers, and in the USFL with the Jacksonville Bulls, spending two years (1984-85) on Infante’s staff.
Geis’ college coaching experience includes one year each as the offensive coordinator at Tulane (1994) and Duke (1993) and two seasons as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Memphis State (1986-87). He originally worked with Infante during his first stint with Tulane (1977-82), which followed a three-year stop at Arizona (1974-76).
A native of Altoona, Pa., Geis, 56, earned his degree in health and physical education from Lock Haven University in 1972. He and his wife, Jere, have two children, Adam and Jeni. He added a master’s degree in education and administration at Arizona in 1976.
“I believe that Patrick Nix, having played quarterback, will have a comfort level there, and Curtis Modkins, having played running back, will have a comfort level there,” said Gailey. “Plus, with Tommie Robinson taking over the tight ends, we’ll be able to give that position a lot more specific attention.
“Jon has coached the secondary for a lot of years and had great success and some great players through the years. I felt like at times last year we were not getting Jon’s expertise on the field, and this will allow us to better use him.”
GEORGIA TECH FOOTBALL STAFF
Chan Gailey, Head Coach
Joe D’Alessandris, Offensive Line
Buddy Geis, Passing Game Coordinator/Wide Receivers
Brick Haley, Linebackers
Curtis Modkins, Running Backs
Patrick Nix, Running Game Coordinator/Quarterbacks
Tommie Robinson, Tight Ends
Glenn Spencer, Defensive Line
Jon Tenuta, Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs
David Wilson, Special Teams/Recruiting Coordinator
